The Way Things Happened
by Hunni8unni333
Summary: Deb and Carter banter
1. The Way Things Happened

**The Way Things Happened**   
  
**Rating**: G (for now, anyway - this may change depending on the path this story goes)   
**Category**: Carter/Dave/Jing-Mei/some Abby  
**Disclaimer**: NBC owns these characters, I don't. I make no money off of this. Don't sue me. Yada yada yada. Why do I even bother with these? It's not like NBC & co. will actually come and read this and sue me. Out of sickly habit, I still do.   
**Timeline**: Begins after "Never Say Never", right after Jing-Mei and Carter leaves the rooftop and Dave leaves the hospital with his stuff. For the purpose of this story, the rooftop scene and the scene in the lounge with Dave and Weaver ends at around the same time.  
**Author's Note**: Okay, let's see. I've written other fanfics before, but this is my first ER fanfic. I'm hoping that I got the personalities of some of these characters down. This is also the first time I'm posting my fanfic here, so I hope I uploaded this chapter correctly. I will be referring to Jing-Mei as Deb when in reference to Carter and of course, when Carter speaks to her. And Carter will be referred to as John when in refernce to Jing-Mei and when she speaks to him. Hope you'll enjoy this, or at least not puke and hit the X to cancel this. >;p   
  
  
  
**Chapter 1: The Way Things Happened**  
  
With confident resolve, Jing-Mei made her way out of County General as nurses uttered sympathetic farewells. She waved back at them, wondering if she would ever see their faces again. _Quit the hospital again_, she thought sarcastically, _Daddy would be so pleased_.   
  
A sigh came out of her lips. She climbed into her car and took one long glance at County General. Once again, Jing-Mei wondered if she would ever see this place again. Or rather could she ever set foot in this hospital again without being bombarded by waves of nostalgia. Shrugging, she started her engine.   
  
As she backed out of the parking space, she caught a glimpse of John and Abby exiting the hospital, each with smiles on their faces. [Where is the hospital's parking lot? I don't think it was ever important enough to be mentioned. But for the sake of this story, I'm gonna use my poetic license and pretend that from the parking lot, you can see people entering and exiting the hospital. =)] Her heart fluttered for but a fleeting moment, and her car jerked, hitting something and causing clattering sounds in the silent night.   
  
Shaking the sight of John and Abby out of her mind, she cursed under her breath and got out of her car to check the damage she had done. Jing-Mei's car, by some token of miracle, was unscratched. But the thing she had hit was now a twisting pile of metal. She knelt down and stared for a second, wondering what to do, when footsteps came behind her.   
  
"Thanks a lot," Dave said dryly.   
  
Jing-Mei looked at him sheepishly. "Your bike?"   
  
He set the box of his belongings on the floor and knelt down to check the bike more closely. "Was. Doesn't even look like a bike anymore."  
  
She winced. "Sorry."  
  
"Women drivers," he said amusingly to himself, an almost smile on his lips.   
  
"Excuse me?" Jing-Mei raised her eyebrows.   
  
"Women drivers, I understand," he said matter-of-factly. "I forgive you."   
  
"If that's the grounds you're forgiving me on, then I'd rather you stay mad at me."   
  
Dave shook his head. "Can't stay mad at you. You're too pretty."   
  
Now it was her turn to shake her head. "Gotta hand it to you. Just when I was feeling apologetic and sincere towards you, you start acting like good 'ol Dave again."  
  
"Hey you hit my bike here. I think I deserve to jester with you a little bit," he smiled, "But seriously, I really do forgive you. I was gonna buy a new bike anyway."   
  
"Thank you." Jing-Mei stood up and looked at the box by Dave's feet. "I'll give you a ride home."   
  
He raised his eyebrows.   
  
"It's the least I can do."   
  
He shrugged. "Okay."   
  
With Dave's bike and box inside the trunk, Jing-Mei drove out of the parking lot. Her eyes darted around for a split of a second, searching for… well she wasn't sure actually. Banishing that thought from her head, she asked "So where to?"   
  
"I'm not going home yet. I have to go pick up... I have to go to my Momma's place first."   
  


=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

  
"Congratulations, Carter." Abby raised her hand in the air, offering her coffee mug as a toast.  
  
"Thank you." They clinked their mugs together. As Carter took a sip of the coffee, he glanced outside the window of Magoo's and saw Deb's car whishing itself down the road. Funny thing is, someone - who Carter guessed to be a man - was sitting in the passenger seat.   
  
Abby looked at him, whose smile seemed to falter a fraction of an inch. "Carter?"   
  
His head snapped back to Abby and he smiled. "Thanks."  
  
She could tell it was a rather forced smile. God knows, she'd been giving them all her life. "What's the matter? Ten minutes ago, you were smiling and all excited about being Chief Resident and now you're staring off into space with a wistful look."   
  
"Am not."  
  
"You are."  
  
"Am not."  
  
"You are, Carter." Abby gave him a knowing glance and sipped her coffee.  
  
He chuckled in defeat. "It wasn't wistful. It was... it was reflective.   
  
"And you're reflecting on?"   
  
"It's just -" how was he supposed to put into words how he felt when he wasn't sure himself "- I'm…"   
  
"You're a great doctor, Carter. You'd do a much better job than Chen."   
  
At the mention of Deb, Carter sighed and leaned back in his seat. "It's not that."   
  
She nodded. "Ah, now I understand. It's Dr. Chen."   
  
"I guess so. I just - well I fell a little guilty taking her position."   
  
"Carter, she quit. She wasn't fired. She told you it was okay. And besides, she did make a mistake," Abby reasoned, emphasizing her last reason.   
  
He understood all that. But even so, he couldn't help feeling a bit… a bit sad over the loss of Deb from the hospital. "I wish she didn't have to quit," Carter said, knowing full well it couldn't have happened any other way. Deb had way too much pride to stay on after being suspended. "I'll miss her."   
  
Abby was attacked by a sudden pang of jealousy. She had never really seen this side of Carter before, the side that was Jing-Mei's friend. "Well that's the way things happened," she said rather rashly.   
  
"Yeah it is."   
  


=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

  
Jing-Mei shifted in the driver's seat and looked at the apartment building Dave had disappeared into. From the windows, she could see families gathering at tables for dinner, hands held together in grace. That feeling of family togetherness more than made up for the rundown building's shabby appearance. Family togetherness, it felt like such a strange topic for Jing-Mei. She had never felt that before.   
  
A knock jolted Jing-Mei out of her thoughts and she turned to see Dave. Her eyes landed on the sleeping child, no bigger than 5 years, in his arms and they widened. So it was true. He did have a kid.   
  
Dave settled the child in the backseat and fastened the seatbelt. He climbed into the passenger side, ready to be bombarded with questions.   
  
Jing-Mei opened her mouth to speak. "Where -"   
  
He interrupted her. "No, I wasn't lying to Weaver about having a kid. Yes, she's my daughter." He folded his arms as if to say that would be his final word on the matter.   
  
"I wasn't going to ask that, Dave. I just wanted to know where you live."   
  
"Oh." He spit out his address and they drove onward in silence.   
  
She was the first to break it. "You know, I quit."   
  
"Quit what?"   
  
"County General."   
  
Dave thought for a second and smiled. "Aw, Jing-Mei, I know you love me and all, but you don't have to quit to protest my termination."   
  
They both chuckled and the lighter atmosphere from before returned. "Weaver wouldn't accept any of the blame."   
  
He made a feigned gasp. "None at all? Why does that not surprise me? So what are you going to do now?"   
  
She sighed. "Like you said, being a doctor is all I know. I can't do anything else. I just don't know who would want to hire me."   
  
"I'm sorry, Jing-Mei. It's all my fault." Dave looked down at his hands. He hated apologizing, but he knew he had to.   
  
"You already apologized. And besides, I'm just as at fault as you are. If I had… well if I hadn't just -" She stopped in an obvious loss of words.   
  
Dave chuckled. "You can say it. If you had doubted my words, none of this would've happened."   
  
She looked out on the road, unsure of how to answer.   
  
"It's funny, you know. For almost two years, you've hated me while I tried to get you to take me seriously. And finally you do, but it ends up getting both our asses unemployed."   
  
He was right, Jing-Mei realized. She had always treated him like a leech she couldn't get rid of fast enough. No matter how annoying he ever was, he didn't really deserve that treatment. Her eyes glanced at the rearview mirror, landing on the girl sleeping in the backseat. "I'm sorry, Dave. I should've been more of a friend."   
  
"Forget it," he shrugged it off. "And you're wrong, you know. A lot of hospitals will hire you, Jing-Mei. I know it. You're a damn good doctor. Me, on the other hand…"   
  
"You're a damn good doctor too, Dave. Maybe a bit lacking in the objective department, but still a damn good doctor."   
  
"Thanks."   
  


=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

  
"Where would you be if I hadn't driven you home?" Jing-Mei asked jokingly, pointing to the twisted bike and paper box in her arms.   
  
Dave shifted his daughter sleeping in his arms and opened the door to his apartment. "Taken a cab. Or I would've woken little Debbie up and we would've walked together. It's not that far."   
  
"Debbie?" she cocked her eyebrow.   
  
He let himself in and headed straight towards the sofa, laying Debbie down and smoothing the hair away from her closed eyes. "Welcome to the love shack. Close the door behind you, will ya?"   
  
She did, and walked in feeling rather uncomfortable. She had always hated going into other people's homes, especially people she wasn't really friends with. Then again, being a loner, she really only had John as a friend. And seeing that she'd never been to John's home… God she was pathetic!   
  
"Meet Debra Malucci," he introduced, pulling Jing-Mei from her thoughts, "That's why I was amused to hear Carter start calling you Deb."   
  
Jing-Mei smiled at the mention of that. That John would never be able to call her what she wanted to be called. Thing was, she had always let it go. "So why is Debbie sleeping on the couch?"   
  
"We just moved in here not too long ago. Her room's being renovated."   
  
"Ah," she nodded in understanding. Jing-Mei watched the gentleness that Dave used when he laid a blanket over his daughter and kissed her on the forehead. That interaction between father and child - it was so peaceful that Jing-Mei felt her awkwardness diminish somewhat.   
  
Dave could feel her eyes staring at him. He chuckled inwardly. All along, he had been the one to give her flirty looks that were returned with nothing but jeering rejections. Now she was the one looking at him. _Oh hell, Malucci, calm your ass down. She's looking at little Debbie. Get over yourself_, his inner mind scolded him. He chuckled again, this time out loud.   
  
"Hmmm?" Jing-Mei questioned, breaking her eyes away from Debbie and settling on Dave.   
  
"Uh, nothing," he shook his head. "Want something to drink?"   
  
"Nah. I should get going. It's late." She retrieved her purse from where she had laid it and looked at him. "Dave, I don't have the money today, but if you give me a call tomorrow, we could meet for lunch or something and I can pay you back for the bike."   
  
"Ooh, Jing-Mei Chen is finally asking me out on a date. My fantasy's fulfilled and I can now die happily."   
  
She started warningly, "Dave -"   
  
"Kidding," he waved his hands in surrender, "You don't have to pay me back for the bike, Jing-Mei. I was going to buy another one anyway."   
  
She opened her purse and took out a pen and pad of paper. Scribbling her number, she said, "You have no job and with -" she paused, throwing a meaningful glance at Debbie "- I really think I should pay you back. And besides, you might've been able to trade in your old bike for some money."   
  
He stared at her hand, held high offering her number on the paper, but he made no move to accept it. "But you have no job, either."   
  
"I have my Daddy," she said quietly and sheepishly. "Just take it, Dave."   
  
"Fine," he uttered reluctantly and accepted the paper.   
  
Smiling victoriously, she headed towards the door and let herself out. "Good night, Dave."   
  
"Night, Jing-Mei. See you tomorrow."   
  
As she waited for the elevator to come, she thought back on the day, not believing the strange way things happened. She was out of a job - she groaned at that - and she and Dave had shared a pleasant conversation.   
  
It seems like she now had one more friend.   
  


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Please, guys, review! I can take criticism, as long as it's constructive. I mean, don't curse out at me (that's actually happened to me - I didn't put certain people together and this fan just lashed out at me!). Thanks!   
  



	2. Rumor Mill

**The Way Things Happened**   
  
**Rating:** PG   
**Category:** Carter/Dave/Jing-Mei  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own these characters. I make no money off of this. Don't sue me. Yada yada yada.   
**Timeline:** Right after "Never Say Never"  
**Author's Note:** A note to some people who left some comments -- this story is not a Carby. This will mainly focus on Carter, Jing-Mei, and Dave so it will be a toss up between a Jinter or a Jinucci. Thanks a lot for all the feedback! It's great to hear from you guys. I'm sorry this chapter took a while, but I was tied up with other things. This chapter is mainly banter, just some things to move the story along. There's also no Dave in this chapter, sorry Dave fans!  
  
Hope you'll enjoy!  
  
  
  
**Chapter 2: Rumor Mill**  
  
"I'll see you tonight then?" Carter asked into the phone, "Okay, see you later, Deb."   
  
Abby cocked her eyebrows as she entered the lounge just in time to hear the name. "That Dr. Chen?"  
  
Carter nodded carelessly as he stared at the phone, a strange look of disbelief on his face.   
  
"You okay, Carter?"  
  
"Yeah," he started slowly, "Deb just turned me down for lunch. She said she already made plans with someone."  
  
She snickered. "And that's a shock because?"  
  
"Because... because..."  
  
"Because you've always prided yourself on being her only friend?"   
  
Carter turned towards Abby and buried his hands in his pockets. "Well, yeah."  
  
"Gee, I'll be sure to tell Dr. Chen what you think of her social skills."  
  
"You thought the same thing about her."  
  
"Only because I know your smugness all too well," she chided him. They both chuckled and a comfortable silence passed as both busied themselves with putting their jackets inside their lockers.   
  
"So Carter," Abby breathed uncertainly. "What are you doing tonight? I thought we could catch a movie or something."  
  
Carter gave her a sidelong glance. Funny how he'd spent the last year pining for her and now that she asked him out, he had to turn her down. "Sorry, Abby. I already made plans with Deb."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"If you had asked me earlier -"  
  
She banged her locker shut, interrupting him. Why was he trying to make things better by explaining? Didn't he know that the more explaining he did, the deeper the hole he dug? "No you don't have to explain. It's fine. Whatever." With a muttered "See you later", Abby zoomed out of the lounge and collided with someone.   
  
"What was that all about?" Susan asked as she brushed the spot where Abby had bumped into her.   
  
"What's what about?"  
  
"That nurse - April or something."   
  
"Abby," he corrected.   
  
"Right. So what was it about?"  
  
He shrugged and walked over to pour himself a cup of coffee. His love life - or lack of - was not something he felt like discussing. "Nothing really. She wanted to hang out tonight, but I already had plans with Deb."  
  
"Dr. Chen?" Susan smirked. "Ah, now I see - jealousy."  
  
"Jealousy?" Carter's eyebrows shot up, "What are you talking about?"  
  
"You don't know?"  
  
He shook his head and combed his fingers through his hair. "What am I supposed to know?"  
  
Her eyes twinkled with mystery. "Nothing. You'll find out sooner or later."  
  
Carter glanced at her, determined to protest, but then decided against it. The way things go in the ER, he'd find out by lunchtime. He made a mental note to talk to Randi and asked, "So how's your first day back so far?"  
  
"Back in Weaver hell," Susan grimaced as she sipped her coffee. "How do you think it's going?"  
  
"Aw, come on. She's not that bad."  
  
"You're one to talk."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?"   
  
"Well Weaver is part of the reason your Deb's not working here anymore," she smiled wily.  
  
"My Deb?" Carter asked. "What is it with you and this newfound fascination with Deb this morning?"  
  
The two finished their coffees and exited the lounge into the unusually quiet ER. "You call her Deb," she pointed out.  
  
"Your point?"  
  
"My point is the rumors may be true."  
  
"Rumors?" he stopped in his tracks, "Have you been gossiping with the nurses? What do these rumors have to do with Deb and me?"  
  
"I only know what Chuni offered to tell. Apparently, you two have been -" she paused to think of a meaningful term "- well put simply, you two have been rolling around in the hay.   
  
His eyes widened. "You're not serious?"   
  
"I am," she said matter-of-factly. "The most bogus ones say that you're the father of Dr. Chen's baby. Well at least I assume they're bogus."  
  
"I'm not even black!" he exclaimed, throwing up his hands in frustration.   
  
She eyed him. "Hmm?"  
  
"Never mind," he shook his hands to dismiss the topic. "The point is there is nothing between Deb and me. We're just friends, that's all."  
  
"Sure, Carter," she uttered incredulously. "You still call her Deb."  
  
"Yes we established that point already," he shot back with a hint of annoyance.  
  
"But she's Jing-Mei now."   
  
Carter groaned. Back to the name game again. Why was everyone always so hung up on his inability to call Deb what she wanted to be called? It's not like he never tried to but it's just that the way he saw it, she would always be Deb Chen. He turned towards an exam room and sighed, "Well old habits are hard to break."   
  


=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

  
Jing-Mei rubbed her chilly hands together and thrust them into the pockets of her thin sweater. "I don't understand why we're walking. It's not like we don't have cars."   
  
"We always walk home after having dinner. Why should tonight be any different?"  
  
"Because it's cold," she gritted her teeth. "Whatever happened to the nice autumn weather?"  
  
"Went into hibernation," Carter grinned boyishly. "C'mon, have some stamina, Deb. I feel plenty warm."   
  
She eyed the thick jacket that he had on. "I wonder why," she muttered sarcastically.  
  
He caught the gleam in her eyes and chuckled. "Come here," he whispered, his breath coming out in thin vapor, as he wrapped his arm around her and brushed her shoulder feverishly. "That better?"  
  
Jing-Mei was caught off guard. The two were good friends, best friends even, but of all the times they had had such close physical contact, she had been in need of support and comfort from a friend. Now it was different, as if something had somehow changed, and yet it was all the same. This was the same John, and this was the same road they had walked dozens of times before.   
  
"Yeah. Thanks," she whispered.  
  
Carter noticed her hesitation, and to be honest, it was also stirring up inside him. It seemed as if he was crossing some unsaid boundary and so he stopped his rubbing.   
  
But his arm remained around her shoulders.  
  
"So uh," he asked cautiously, "who'd you have lunch with today? Does it have to do with the mystery man I saw in your car last night?"  
  
"Mystery man?"  
  
"The one you who was in your car last night," he repeated, "I saw your car from the windows of Magoo's."  
  
"When you were with Abby?"  
  
He was taken aback by her frankness. "Yeah," he admitted.   
  
"So how are you and Abby?"   
  
Carter looked at Jing-Mei from the corner of his eyes. "What about me and Abby?"  
  
"I'm not blind, John. You have some sort of feelings for her."  
  
He glanced briefly at her in amazement. All along, he had never mentioned a word about whatever twisted relationship he had with Abby, but Deb, being observational as usual, had picked up on it.   
  
"There is no Abby and me," he fixed his eyes on Deb, as if confessing some dark secret. It was his first time voicing that out loud and he was surprised with how effortless it had rolled off his tongue.   
  
Jing-Mei returned his steady gaze. "You don't sound too disappointed."   
  
"I don't know," he shrugged. "There never really was an Abby and me, so there's nothing to be disappointed about. Even with Abby and Dr. Kovac broken up, I just... it's just not leading anywhere right now."   
  
"You think you guys will work out in the long run?"  
  
Carter rubbed his neck with his free hand. "I dunno," he answered slowly. "Maybe. She asked me to a movie tonight, but I already made plans with you."  
  
"Oh, John, I'm -"  
  
He shook his head. "Don't apologize, Deb. I wanted to hang out with you tonight. If Abby and I are meant to happen, it's gonna happen eventually."  
  
Jing-Mei nodded in understanding.   
  
"I thought we were talking about your mysterious man," he raised his eyebrows. "Trying to steer away from the topic?"  
  
"Well did it work?" a small grin tugging on her lips.  
  
"Obviously not. So who is this man?"  
  
"Why are you being so nosy?"  
  
"And why are you being so secretive?"  
  
"I asked first."  
  
"If I remember correctly, I was the one who asked you who the mystery man is in the first place."  
  
Jing-Mei sighed. "Dave."  
  
"Dave?" he chuckled, his eyes gleaming like a child, "Dave Malucci?"  
  
"Yeah. Good 'ol Dr. Dave."  
  
He snickered.  
  
"See," Jing-Mei grumbled, shooting Carter a look, "that's why I was being secretive. What is wrong with having lunch with Dave?"  
  
"Nothing," he rubbed his neck subconsciously, "It's just... did he finally charm you into going out with him?"  
  
Her eyes fell on Carter for a moment and she looked away, pausing dramatically. "There's something about killing a man that just brings people together."  
  
"Deb, don't say -"  
  
"Kidding," Jing-Mei rushed as soon as she saw the look on John's face. "Anyway, Dave and I are just friends. Men and women can just be friends, you know. You have heard of a platonic relationship?"  
  
"Oh yeah, I've heard about that," he chuckled, "Kinda like you and me?"  
  
For a second, Jing-Mei felt her stomach lurch before shaking it away mentally. "Right. Like you and me."  
  
"So speaking of you and me, I heard something today."  
  
"What?"  
  
"We're rolling around in the hay."  
  
She eyed him suspiciously. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"There are rumors going around that we're together. And that I'm Michael's father."  
  
She threw her hands up in frustration, almost knocking over Carter. "You're not even black!"  
  
"Well hardly anyone in the ER knows that the father was black," he reasoned, rubbing his elbow where Jing-Mei had smacked him.   
  
She shook her head in astonishment. More often than not, she only learned from the ER gossip mill, but today she was the subject of it all. And her and John? That was so ridiculous, so... Without warning, an image of John kissing her while unbuttoning her shirt popped into her head. Stunned, she could feel her cheeks heating up as she labored to erase that image from her head.  
  
"Wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen it myself. Our resident Dr. Deb Chen blushes?"  
  
On instinct, she pressed her palms on her cheeks. "First of all, it's Dr. Jing-Mei Chen. And second of all, I'm not blushing. It's just the wine from dinner - you know, the Asian flush."  
  
"Well, Dr. Jing-Mei Chen," he mocked, "as I recall from our medical school days, you never used to have the Asian flush."  
  
"Things change," she commented off-handedly.  
  
Carter took her remark to heart. "Yeah, things do change."  
  
The two rounded a corner to an apartment complex and Jing-Mei began searching for her keys. "Thanks for walking me home, John."  
  
He nodded and stuck his hands in his pockets. "I have this knot in my stomach. It's the one I usually get after a first date with someone, when I'm arguing with myself over whether or not I should kiss her."  
  
She chuckled and shook her head. "Good night, John," she threw over her shoulders.  
  
Carter watched her disappear into the building. It wasn't until a light turned on in her window and he could see her silhouette did he turn around and head home.   
  


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